Longest Straight Line Paths on Water or Land on the Earth (2018)

Researchers Rohan Chabukswar and Kushal Mukherjee developed a methodology using the branch-and-bound algorithm to solve two optimization problems: finding the longest straight-line distance one can sail without hitting land, and the longest distance one can drive without encountering major bodies of water. The study addresses the complexity introduced by islands, lakes, and the fractal nature of coastlines in calculating these paths on Earth.